


Watching The Waves Crashing

by sapphire2309



Category: White Collar
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-10-27 04:21:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10801596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphire2309/pseuds/sapphire2309
Summary: Anyone can kinda sorta be friends, given enough alcohol. Fun and games don't hurt either.





	Watching The Waves Crashing

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Skies On Fire by The Green Children.
> 
> For sheenianni, for wc-women-fest's holiday exchange.
> 
> White Collar is Jeff Eastin's brainchild. Not mine.

"Do you want to go to the mall?" Kate had asked.

It had sounded like an innocent enough idea then, back when Alex had apparently forgotten that malls have bars tucked away someplace too.

And, apparently, that wine doesn't stay wine. She could have sworn that the glass she was holding was the soft curve of a red wine glass, filled with an exquisite vintage. Now, she's gazing into the slightly briny depths of a martini glass, the eye of the olive fixed on her in return, and the feel of the glass in her hand isn't quite so gentle. The neat, smooth edges don't agree with her.

"I don't know where my mom is," Kate says in a low voice, eyes wide and earnest.

Alex blinks at her a bit stupidly. When did their hypothetical Louvre heist turn into a confession of their darkest secrets?

"No, really. I have no idea. My dad divorced her, and then she stopped sending cars. Cards. Stopped sending cards. And then she moved. And then I moved. Like a hundred times. I moved a hundred times, she probably only moved once. Or twice. Anyway. I don't know where she is."

Alex snorts inelegantly. "She's not a criminal, yes? Moz'll find her in five minutes."

"Not the point. I lost my mom. My _mom_ , Alex. _Lost_ her."

"Yeah, I don't see the point."

Kate gives her another nasty look that implies she's got nothing between her ears. "I'm _alone_. I've got no _family_."

"Your dad?"

"Dead."

"Moz?"

"Hates me because I hate Percy. And love Neal."

"Neal!"

"Lies."

"Oh please, he's madly in love with you. I mean, he _claims_ he's sane, but it's love. And Neal. Neal in love. Sanity flees before it."

"No, no, no, not... _Neal_ lies. He's a liar. We've had this conversation before."

"...Was I drunk when we had said conversation?"

"I believe so, yes."

"There you go." Alex gives her a little _so-there_ nod.

"Useless. What's the point if you don't remember anything?"

"I think that's exactly the point. I don't _want_ to remember any of this sober."

"Right, yeah, you have heists to pull. Neals to avoid."

"Just the one Neal. And I don't avoid him. I just... dance around him. Which isn't avoiding. It's more graceful. Gracefuller. Eleganter."

Kate cocks her head, resembling nothing more than a little squirrel (if one with a rather wrecked sense of balance). "The elegantest," she says softly, putting one hand over Alex's. "It's very kind of you. Thank you."

Alex grumbles absently under her breath, while somehow also looking extremely pleased with herself.

"Do you want to play mall games?" Kate asks, seizing the moment of silence.

"Mall games?"

"They're basically the entire reason I even come here. You know mall games. Skee ball. Mini basketball. Air hockey. Those things with cars. Car races! Car races. The thing that makes you dance weirdly. That other thing with the big plastic guns that are _really hard_ to aim properly. I think whoever manufactured those needs to be sued. I mean-"

"Shut up about the damn guns and I'll play as many as you want."  



End file.
